A HEALTHY SILLY SEASON

Whether you are in Australia soaking up the summer heat or walking through the winter Christmas markets sipping mulled wine in London, there is no hiding the fact that the Silly Season is upon us. Only 5 sleeps until the most wonderful day of the year; Christmas.

Christmas is a time for celebrating the festive season with loved ones, friends, colleagues and family however this generally means Christmas pudding, your body weight in food and roast potatoes, chocolate advent calendars, copious amounts of rum balls, glazed hams, gingerbread cookies, free flowing cocktails and alcohol galore, cheeky candy canes and grandma’s Christmas trifles … ok ok ok enough I am making myself hungry. (Note to self; don’t write food blogs before dinner) For some people this list of goodies makes them so happy and excited, but for others (and it seems to be the more health conscious) these words might send you into a downward spiral of inevitable regret, guilt and health and fitness goal blow outs, resulting in extreme restrictive diets, (don’t even think about the lemon detox or cabbage soup diets…) juice fasts, binging, purging, fasting, over exercising and other horrible things I wouldn’t even wish upon my worst enemy. AHHHH!!!!

So what can we do to prevent this? Well, stop worrying, enjoy yourself and your favourite foods and have a merry merry Christmas. Yep easier said then done right? Unfortunately yes. Here are my 5 top tips for having a healthy guilt free Christmas full of goodies and love. There is no room for negativity this Christmas…. just nativity. Ok that was terrible sorry. So let’s be realistic. Rather than focusing on what NOT to do this Christmas, let’s think about what we CAN do to make it a happy and healthy one. Try these 5 hot fit tips for the silly season;

1. Detox your body with lemon and water; no I am NOT talking about the ridiculous lemon detox diet or some ‘lose 5kg in a week’ detox. Trust me they wont work and you will be doing so much damage to your overall health and well being. Simply squeeze 1/2 a lemon into water or put it into your water bottle for the day. The lemon will wake up your metabolism and get your digestion moving!

2. Move your body; Keep active where/when you can. This doesn’t mean missing out on the present opening because you are doing a HIIT circuit in your room, I mean make your Christmas as ‘active’ as possible. For the Aussies; have a picnic down at the beach and play cricket, throw the frisbee or go for a nice long walk with loved ones. Northern Hemi gals… sorry but unless you have a snowboard and a decent hill near you, you might be house ridden so no beach walks for you. Take the stairs rather than the lift, go for a walk to the nearest coffee shop, go for an evening walk with your partner or friend, stretch in front of the tv, do 20 squats whilst waiting for the microwave to beep or brushing your teeth… what ever it is… get that body moving and sing some Mariah at the same time.

3. Eat Fats, Proteins AND Carbs; This is one of THE biggest food rules that will ensure you don’t get food cravings or sugar swings and will keep you feeling satisfied and full for longer. I consistently eat protein, fat and carbohydrates at EVERY meal or snack and have found this the major reason behind my speedy metabolism and overall weight loss. Carbs are your friends! So when plating up this festive season – aim for greens, carbs, fats AND protein and you can’t go wrong.

4. If you love it – eat it; When it comes to food, if you love it and want it – eat it. If you aren’t too fussed about it, then leave it. Don’t eat it just because it is there. If you’re a fruit mince pie addict like me don’t deny yourself of this festive treat. However, if brandy fruit cake or mulled wine ain’t your thang then pass on it. That way you are enjoying everything you eat and will feel less guilty later.

5. Let yourself have days (or weeks) off; TRUST ME it won’t undo all the hard work you have done. It takes a lot of extra calories to gain weight. Think of how hard you have been working lately. Use this time to spend with family and loved ones as a rest. Having time away from the protein shakes, dumbbells and early mornings is very important in sustaining overall health. Have a break from your routine and come back post Christmas or New Year rested and ready to set some fresh goals.

But at the end of the day, it is Christmas. Love yourself and your body will love you back. Health is more important than abs and how ‘shredded’ you are. Enjoy the holiday, the festivities, the markets, sugar laden sweets, put on your Christmas jumper and be MERRY!! If abs really are the be and end all of your heart… then eat the pudding and ask santa for some abs. You never know. He is the magic man after all!

Do these 5 things daily and enjoy your silly season. Remember you can be silly and healthy at the same time!!